I think I jinxed myself yesterday talking about the cold because today we are under an extreme cold weather alert. The only upside to this cold weather is that there is usually some beautiful sunshine to go with it so today is really bright and clear outside!
Since I posted about my chocolate torte experience on Sunday, I have been excited to go into more depth about how to make it. After trying The Coup’s chocolate torte, I was determined to create my own version free of tofu. I’m not really a fan of tofu in my desserts and I figured I could make one without it.
I absolutely fell in love with this torte and it was one of the rare occasions that I nailed the recipe on the first shot. Actually I think that is the only time it has ever happened! I was pretty excited that it turned out because I made it, along with the other 3 Coup recipes, on the day before and morning of the deadline for the challenge! It was a pretty crazy weekend to say the least. ;)
Not only is this torte free of tofu, but it contains a certain green ingredient that is packed with healthy fats and vitamins.
Any guesses?
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Chilled Double Chocolate Torte
Crust adapted from The Coup Cookbook.
Crust ingredients:
- 1 cup + 6 tbsp whole grain spelt flour
- 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup + 1/3 cup white sugar OR 1/2 cup sugar + 1/3 cup Sucanat
- 1 tbsp arrowroot powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 4 tbsp + 2 tsp canola oil
- 1/2 cup almond milk
- 3 tbsp pure maple syrup
Filling:
- 2 cups avocado flesh (approx 4 medium avocados), pitted and scooped out
- 1/3 cup almond milk (revised amount)
- 2/3 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 tbsp smooth peanut butter (or almond butter)
- 1 tbsp arrowroot powder
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp chocolate chips, melted
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder, sifted
Directions: Preheat oven to 375F. In a large bowl, sift together the dry crust ingredients (spelt, cocoa powder, baking powder, arrowroot powder, sugar and salt). In a medium bowl, whisk the wet crust ingredients (oil, maple syrup, milk). Add wet to dry and stir well.
In a 10 inch springform cake pan, scoop on the crust batter and spread out with a wet spoon or wet hands. The batter will be very sticky so you will have to keep wetting your spoon/hands. Spread out as evenly as possible and bake for 25 minutes at 375F.
Meanwhile, prepare the filling by placing all filling ingredients (except chocolate chips) into food processor. Process until smooth.
Once the crust is done baking, remove from oven to slightly cool off for about 5-10 mins. Now melt your chocolate chips in a small bowl and place melted chocolate into food processor mixture. Process until smooth. Scoop this filling into cake pan on top of crust. Smooth out as much as possible and then place in the freezer for 1.5-2 hours to firm up.
Remove from freezer and allow to sit on the counter for about 10-15 minutes before serving chilled. Serves 10-12. Place leftover torte in the freezer wrapped and placed in a seal container. I’m not sure how long it lasts in the freezer, but I would guess 1-3 weeks if sealed properly.
Note that this torte should be served chilled as it looses it’s firm shape when at room temperature. Eric and I also agreed that it tasted much better chilled.
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If you guessed this torte contains avocado, you are correct! This chocolate torte filling packs in a whopping two cups of avocado. But, you’d never know it…
First things first, preheat the oven too 375F and gather up the dry crust ingredients.
Sift together in a big bowl:
Gather the wet ingredients (almond milk, maple syrup, oil) in a small bowl and whisk.
Add wet to dry and stir.
Spread into a greased 10 inch springform cake pan.
The crust batter will be very thick! Do not fear. Spread it around evenly as much as possible.
That’ll do.
Now bake the crust for 25 minutes at 375F.
Meanwhile, let’s make the delicious chocolate filling!
Gather up the 2 cups avocado flesh, almond milk, peanut butter, vanilla, arrowroot powder, cocoa powder, and kosher salt. Don’t grab the chocolate chips yet as we don’t need them right now.
Process until smooth! This chocolate ‘pudding’ will taste incredible.
Once your chocolate base is finished baking, remove it from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes. Take a knife and carefully circle it around the base.
Meanwhile, melt your chocolate chips.
Mmmmm. Now add this melted chocolate into the food processor and process until smooth. It will taste like HEAVEN!!!
Your filling is now ready to be spread over the crust!
If you don’t feel like making the entire torte you could always just make this chocolate filling and eat it as pudding. :) It is that good.
Smooth it out.
Now freeze the torte for 1.5-2 hours until firm. Once firm, take a knife and circle it around the edges once again, going very slowly.
Allow it to sit for about 10 minutes and then open up the springform pan carefully and serve immediately! This torte is meant to be served cold, so don’t let it sit at room temperature to warm up (especially because there is avocado in the filling and you don’t want it to spoil).
The result is an incredibly delicious, rich chocolate torte!
Place any leftovers into a sealed container and pop it into the freezer until you get your next craving. I’m not sure how long this keeps in the freezer, but I would guess that if sealed properly it would keep a couple weeks.
I don’t think I need to tell you that Eric is obsessed with this torte. Last night he had two huge slices and was pretty much in chocolate ecstasy . :)
The filling has a pudding-like texture that is creamy, incredibly smooth, and chocolaty. It goes great with the Coconut Chai Latte too. :)
Today is the last day you can vote in round #9 of Project Food Blog! I appreciate your support in helping me advance tomorrow. :)
I am off to work on my holiday Glo bakery orders today. Have a great Thursday!
Congrats on advancing into the next round!! I’m a Canadian too, so I’m double-proud. Keep up the amazing work!
Angela,
Congratulations on winning Reader’s Choice, and on advancing to the final round! I’m so happy for you – you totally deserve it! It’s funny, your blog was the first one I started to follow, since then I’ve started following some others too, but yours is the ABSOLUTE best! Your descriptions, your photos, recipes (I love how you have the print option now), stories, everything. Way to go!!!!
Dawn
ps. I wish you luck in the next round, but I don’t think you’ll need any luck!
thank you!!
This looks INCREDIBLE!!
Congrats on making it to the final round btw – thats SO exciting! And much deserved.
I’m so excited for you! Congrats on the finals-I hope you win PFB 2010 :-)
I am so excited for you! You have truly ‘owned’ this contest.
oh YUM!!!! this cake looks simply amazing!! I love avocado to make chocolate creamy! It’s so healthy too!
Ps: congrats on making it to the finals!! good luck :)
Xx yas
Made it tonight and I am still in chocolate bliss. Good luck with the final PFB challenge I really hope you win!
Congrats on making the finals!
Hi Angela! :) Just wanted to tell you that I think your blog is amazing–so amazing that it inspired me to start blogging! I’ve recently been struggling with numbers, and when I came across your blog I read that you had struggled with overcoming calorie counting as well. It’s refreshing to know you overcame that struggle and that there’s hope for me! :) I am definitely going to have to try some of your recipes b/c they look simply irresistible!
Congrats on Reader’s Choice again! I think that you will win first place because in addition to making amazing, creative and (usually) simple recipes, you also inspire people to be their very best, inside and out. I have been reading and recommending your site for the past year and not only have you changed my life, you have changed the lives of many others that I know. I have 3 friends that are now Vegans because of your site. Anyway, just thought that I would finally comment and let you know…:)
thank you!
Congrats on making it to the final round, the best of luck on the final post!
the chocolate torte looks amazing, I´m totally making this next week.
oh, and good luck on the final challenge.
Congrats on being one of the final three in Project Food Blog! I just saw it and really hope you’ll win. So excited for your final post! Good luck!
Congratulations! I’m excited to see you made the final 3! and Reader’s Choice to boot!!
I have never done any vegan baking, but really want to give it a go sometime, I’m definitely adding this recipe to the list of contenders for my first ever vegan baking challenge! It looks absolutely amazing!
I made another one of your chocolate puddings and it was absolutely delicious! I can’t wait to make this torte!
Made this today…oh.my.god. So good! Especially the filling, unbelieveable.
So glad you like it!!! we are obsessed with it!
Hey Angela!
I am just recently looking into changing the food in my life! I am attending a dessert potluck tomorrow night and this has been on my brain! How long do you think it takes to get to room temp? I would keep it in the freezer until serving, but it might sit out on the table for half an hour or more? Any idea?
Thanks so much! Love your stuff!
<3 Tanya
you should serve it chilled for sure (it was much better chilled than at room temp)…we remove it from the freezer and let it sit on the counter for 10-15 mins I think?
I did your Chocolate Torte yesterdays and that’s the perfect chocolate desert. When I was eating, I almost cry. I have no word to describe how good this was. All my family loved it. Thank you very much for sharing all you recipe.
so glad you enjoyed it!
Made this yesterday for Christmas Eve, and made a small ramekin for myself to eat…really, really good. I used cornstarch and whole wheat flour in the crust and it seemed to work fine in case anyone was wondering :-)
Hello,
I just wanted to send in some feedback. I made the chilled double chocolate torte for my entire family for Easter this weekend and it was so embarrassing. The torte tasted horrific. The avocados in it made it absolutely disgusting. It tasted like eating chocolate on avocados. I am honestly still sick today. I have felt nauseas since Easter Sunday. The entire family tried it and no one liked it. I was so embarrassed. I looked up so many recipes and decided on that one since this website said it was a favorite. I am really disappointed now b/c I was hoping to use this website often for recipes but now I’m scared to try anything else on here if that was a crowd favorite! I honestly still want to throw up. I’m very discouraged. I don’t know where to find vegan recipes now that I can count on. I haven’t had any luck. I feel like this is why people go back to eating animals. It’s very sad. I strongly suggest thinking twice before posting something and saying it’s good b/c it could be the recipe that converts someone back :(
Hi Deanne,
Thank you for your feedback. I’m so sorry to hear that you and your family did not enjoy the torte. That makes me feel horrible. I’m surprised by your reaction to it because the feedback I’ve had has been so positive, but of course not everyone’s taste buds are the same. We found that you can’t detect the avocado when made according to the directions. I will have to respectfully disagree with you about not being able to use this site for vegan recipes. While I don’t think that every recipe will please everyone, I do think there are many options that could please someone new to this lifestyle. I do appreciate your feedback and hope you will give other recipes a shot. Take care! Ange
PS- I moved this comment to the original post.
Hi Ange,
Thank you for the quick reply. I feel awful that I made you feel bad by my comments. I shouldn’t have said anything. I think I was just frustrated b/c I have felt nauseas since then just thinking about the dessert. I do apologize for being harsh and in all honesty am SO thankful for your site and that you offer vegan recipes for people. I wish everyone did that. I will give some other recipes a try and I’m sure they will be delicious. But I do agree, not everyone will like every recipe. Thank you for providing cruelty free options for people. I hope you have a great day!
Thanks Deanne. I understand it’s frustrating when recipe don’t turn out as you’d hope. Goodluck if you try out others! Take care
Love this and can’t wait to try! Question though that I haven’t seen above – is there any way to leave out the peanut butter? What is a good replacement, if anything? Can you taste it in the final product? This would be a MAJOR turn off in my house, sadly. (Even though I love PB!) Please help – would love to know how to do this minus the PB! You are truly amazing! Thank you so much for this recipe! :-)
Yes I think it would work without it. If I remember it was just 1 tbsp right?
Or you could use another type of nut butter. Be sure to serve the torte cold!
Is it necessary to use the peanut butter? can you detect a peanut taste in the final product?
Also I’m a huge OSG fan!
I couldn’t detect a peanuty taste. If I can remember there was only a table spoon or 2, so it can probably be left out.
Woops just read the comment above me! Sorry for the duplication
I looooooove this recipe! I have to admit, I have even used the filling as frosting– it pipes beautifully through a pastry bag, and it holds up nicely when I frost cupcakes with it!!! Thank you!
Wow I had no idea…I will have to try this! Did you have to chill it first?
Love love love this recipe. I made it yesterday to take to my mom’s for Thanksgiving. Everyone who ate it absolutely loved it. My sister, a baker, kept saying, “I taste something. I can’t quite make it out.” Eventually, she figured out that it was avocado (because I was keeping mum lest I scare away people…), but she said she loved the “zippy” flavor of the avocado combined with the rich chocolate. No one else could tell (or they kept saying they tasted banana). I left with just a quarter of the tort, which is awesome, considering there were about a million desserts to pick from!
Thats so great to hear, thanks for letting me know!
I’ve been wanting to make this recipe FOREVER. Im pretty sure it must taste amazing with cocoa!
Only I thought ‘hm, maybe I can make it with carob powder insteat’ (my dad’s allergic to cocoa). WORST idea ever. Please, anyone who’s thinking carob in this recipe- don’t even go there. Tastes disgusting.
So I’m off to make your pumpkin pie now and try to forget the carob-avocado-cake ever happened. (I WILL make this recipe with cocoa one day!)
I made this torte and I was disappointed in this recipe. The avocado flavor was present in my final torte, leaving it with a strange smell and flavor. It looked beautiful, but didn’t meet expectations.
Angela, I made your no bake version of this chocolate torte a while back and absolutely fell in LOVE with it! It was so amazing. Ever since, I’ve been wanting to try this version to compare! Well, I made it today and it is just delicious. It’s hard to pick a favorite version, because they’re both so good! When I started making this today, I had 5 avocados and wanted to measure the 2 cups of them out first to make sure I had enough. Well, two of the avocados were bad and I couldn’t use them, so I only had 1 1/2 cups of avocado flesh. Not wanting to go to the store, I decided to mash up a banana to give me 2 cups of “flesh” total. It totally worked! You can taste the banana in the torte, but I actually like it! Thanks for another awesome recipe :)
I tried this using 1 cup of almond meal and 6 all purpose flour, it worked out lovely!
Oops I meant 6 tbsp all purpose flour!
Just made it for a delectable dessert,….oooooh much more filling then I expected (especially since I couldn’t resist that chocolate pudding when pouring it) I made it in a 7.5 inch pan because my mum prefers a tall thick slice of cake, turned out beautiful, fancy enough for a restaurant!
I’ve tried it,but made it with gluten-free crust!!! and it was the very very best chocolate torte I’ve ever had. I made it for my mum’s anniversary and she loved it so much that it was gone on the other day! Thank you very much for this another delicious recipe.
OMG…I made this and it was soooo delish. My friend didn’t believe I made it. Great recipe. Everything i’ve made from your site is so good. Thank you for sharing all your wonderful recipes.
Hi Angela, thanks for the yummy recipe. I made it for my veg potluck and it was devoured. I am going to make it this Thanksgiving however one of the guests has a nut allergy. I’ll sub rice milk for the almond milk but do you think pumpkin seed or sesame seed butter would be the best sub for the peanut butter? Anyone have a suggestion? Thanks :)
Hey Leanna, I would probably suggest sunflower seed butter (Sunbutter is a great brand). Pumpkin and tahini are quite bitter, so I’m not sure about those. Good luck!
Yum, but avocados are so expensive(2$ or 3$ for one), and I can’t find vegan choc chips. the ones that are available is exorbitant.
Hi Angela,
I’m not too familiar with spelt flour. Would whole wheat pastry flour work? Or all purpose?
By the way, all your recipes are making it really hard for me to decide what to make for my family Christmas party!
Oh and also, is the 2c of avocado flesh mashed or cubed?
Just made this for the second time tonight–so good! Unfortunately, I realized too late I only had 1 avocado (instead of 4). I used the 1 small avocado I had, but subbed in soaked cashews, dates, 1 lb of spinach, and an extra 1/3 cup chocolate chips. It was AMAZING! Couldn’t taste any of the “mystery” ingredients nor the telltale aftertaste of avocado oil.
I made this for today…and its weird….but it really roze up…compared to your pictures. we havn’t had it yet and i just realised i forgot to run the knife around it..it will probably be a massive disaster but what would i have done wrong to make it rise up? it went to the top of the 10inch pan!.
While staying in the “cabin” and avoiding the snowstorm outside I made this chocolate torte. It is brilliant. I love all the textures and flavors… and the cake is nice and moist. I think I might be glowing now from eating this creation.
I made it today, but the avocado tasted so funny I couldn’t bare it :( maybe you should put a lot less !!
Non-vegans could use cow’s milk (rather than almond, etc.) in the pudding/filling without problem, right?
I just made this torte, absolutely amazing! None of my guests could guess the main ingredient for the filling is avocado. Everyone loved it.
Hello!
My name is Katarina and I come from Slovenia (smaller country near Italy). Today is the frist time I visited your blog and it is fantastic, tasty,.. :)
I have one question about this recipe (Chilled Double Chocolate Torte) – where does the name “torte” come from? I am interested, because in our country the word for “cake” in “torta”, so it is simmilar to your name” torte” – the only difference is in the last letter.
Best wishes,
Katarina
Hi Angela!
I am going to be making this tomorrow and I was wondering if you think it’s ok to use normal flour instead of the spelt flour?
I love your website and I already tried lots of your recipes. Till now my favourite is the creamy tomato pasta! Sooo delicious!
Thanks! :-)